A transmission is the mechanism by which a driving force or toque is transmitted from a driving element (e.g. an engine, motor, wheel, wind turbine etc.) to a driven element (e.g. an axle, wheel generator etc.); in a conventional automotive setting it is from an engine to an axle. An automotive transmission typically includes a gearbox with multiple sets of gears having different transmission ratios, and can be used to switch between these sets of gears as requirements vary.
Conventional gearboxes comprise a single transfer shaft, typically known as a layshaft. However, with the current drive towards higher numbers of gears to increase overall efficiency, a second layshaft is typically provided. This second layshaft enables the transmission to remain compact, e.g. as it allows for two ‘shorter’ layshafts to be provided side-by-side, rather than one ‘longer’ layshaft. In such a twin layshaft transmission, the torque transmitted to the two layshafts needs to be equal, in order to maximise performance, minimise wear and increase durability. However, due to normal manufacturing tolerances of transmission components, equal distribution of the transmitted torque is often not economically achievable in high volume production without additional compensating elements.
The present disclosure seeks to overcome or at least mitigate the problems associated with the prior art.